Policy-based optimization of cloud resources on tiered storage operations

ABSTRACT

A method for enabling management of cloud resources based on tiered storage data movement includes receiving a request from a cloud computing system to provide the cloud computing system a notification of a data movement initiated by a tiered storage system, where the data movement comprises moving data associated with the cloud computing system from a first storage tier to a second storage tier, and the notification comprises an indication of a condition for initiating the data movement. The method then includes determining that a condition for initiating the data movement was satisfied. The method further includes initiating the data movement in response to determining that the condition was satisfied. The method additionally includes transmitting the notification in response to initiating the data movement.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to cloud computing, and morespecifically, to management of cloud resources based on tiered storagedata movement.

Cloud computing enables ubiquitous access to shared pools ofconfigurable resources (e.g., computer networks, servers, storage,applications and services), which can be rapidly, and programmatically,provisioned over a network. Computing systems that provide cloudcomputing services can use automated storage tiering to manage datastorage in the cloud computing system. Automated storage tiering is astorage management capability to move data between different storagetypes (e.g., storage tiers) to optimize storage allocation with respectto, for example, cost, performance, and storage space.

SUMMARY

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method forenabling management of cloud resources based on tiered storage datamovement includes receiving a request from a cloud computing system toprovide the cloud computing system a notification of a data movementinitiated by a tiered storage system, where the data movement comprisesmoving data associated with the cloud computing system from a firststorage tier to a second storage tier, and the notification comprises anindication of a condition for initiating the data movement. The methodthen includes determining that a condition for initiating the datamovement was satisfied. The method further includes initiating the datamovement in response to determining that the condition was satisfied.The method additionally includes transmitting the notification inresponse to initiating the data movement.

Other embodiments are directed to systems and computer program productsfor implementing the methods described herein.

The above summary is not intended to describe each illustratedembodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings included in the present application are incorporated into,and form part of, the specification. They illustrate embodiments of thepresent disclosure and, along with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the disclosure. The drawings are only illustrative ofcertain embodiments and do not limit the disclosure.

FIG. 1 depicts a cloud computing node according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a cloud computing environment according to an embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts abstraction model layers according to an embodiment ofthe present invention

FIG. 4 depicts a set of operations to enable management of cloudresources based on tiered storage data movement, according to variousembodiments.

FIG. 5 depicts a set of operations for allocating cloud resources in acloud computing system based on tiered storage data movement, accordingto various embodiments.

FIG. 6 depicts a block diagram of an example cloud computing environmentusing tiered storage, according to various embodiments.

FIG. 7 depicts a block diagram of an example tiered storage system 705,according to various embodiments.

FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram of an example cloud computing system,according to various embodiments.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternativeforms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in thedrawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood,however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to theparticular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to cloud computing, moreparticular aspects relate to management of cloud resources based ontiered storage data movement. While the present disclosure is notnecessarily limited to such applications, various aspects of thedisclosure may be appreciated through a discussion of various examplesusing this context.

Cloud computing systems can utilize tiered storage systems to storeblocks of data embodying logical volumes managed by the cloud computingsystems. The blocks of data can represent a portion of, or the entire, alogical storage volume of a cloud computing system. A cloud computingsystem's logical storage volume can be partitioned into two more virtualvolumes allocated to computing environments hosted by the cloudcomputing system. While cloud computing systems are aware of the mappingbetween virtual volumes of hosted computing environments and blocks of alogical volume of a cloud computing system, tiered storage systemsgenerally do not have access to this information.

Tiered storage systems, as part of their tiered storage managementcharge, can, automatically (e.g., on their own) initiate data movementsto move or relocate blocks data associated a logical volume of a cloudcomputing system from a first storage tier to a second storage tier. Thetiered storage system can have conditions (e.g., reasons or triggeringevents) for initiating a data movement. Examples of a condition is theusage of the first storage tier exceeding a threshold usage, andavailable storage capacity on the first storage tier falling below athreshold capacity. While tiered storage systems are typically aware ofcross-tier data movements and the reasons for initiating the datamovements, cloud computing systems affected by the movements generallydo not have access to this information.

The information disconnection between reasons behind data movementsinitiated by a tiered storage system and information regarding whichhosted computing environment has have virtual volumes affected by thesedata movements can result in a suboptimal utilization of computingresources in cloud computing systems.

Embodiments of this disclosure are based on the recognition thatutilization of computing resources in a cloud computing system can beimproved by enabling a tiered storage system to transmit to a cloudcomputing system, and by configuring a cloud system to request and use,information about the reason that a tiered storage system moves one ormore blocks of data associated with the could computing system from afirst storage tier to a second storage tier. The cloud computing systemcan use this information to manage the allocation of resourcesprovisioned to hosted computing environments to improve resourceutilization. For example, a data movement to a slower storage tier(e.g., a storage tier having, for example, lower read/write throughputthan a current storage tier) can result in a decrease in transactionsbeing processed for a hosted computing environment having a virtualvolume associated with the data movement. As an example, a cloudcomputing system can use information indicating that a specific blockwas moved to a slower tier to, for example, reduce memory or processorresources allocated to hosted computing environment having a virtualvolume associated with the relocated block. In another example, when adata movement moves a block from a slow storage tier to a faster storagetier, the cloud computing system can use information about this datamovement to move a hosted computing environment whose virtual volume isassociated with the data movement to a faster processor or system bus.

Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to atechnique (e.g., methods, systems, and computer program products) toenable management of cloud resources based on tiered storage datamovement. The technique can be executed by a tiered storage system toreceive a request from a cloud computing system to provide the cloudcomputing system a notification of a data movement initiated by a tieredstorage system. A data movement includes moving data associated with thecloud computing system from a first storage tier to a second storagetier. In some embodiments, the notification includes an indication of acondition (e.g., a reason or triggering event) for initiating (e.g.,starting and executing) the data movement. The technique can be furtherexecuted by the tiered storage system to determine that a condition forinitiating the data movement even was satisfied, and to initiate thedata movement in response to the determining. The tiered storage systemcan then transmit the notification to the cloud computing system inresponse to initiating the data movement.

In some embodiments, the first storage tier (e.g., the source of a datamovement) has a performance level that is different from a performancelevel of the second storage tier (e.g., the destination of the datamovement).

In some embodiments, the request received from the cloud computingsystem includes a criteria for causing the tiered storage system toprovide the notification. In these embodiments, the notification istransmitted in response to determining that the criteria is satisfied.The criteria can be based on at least one of the data movement directionand the condition for initiating the data movement. The criteria canalso be based on aggregate characteristics of a set (e.g., one or more)of data movements initiated by the tiered storage system. The aggregatecharacteristics can, for example, be a frequency of data movements froma storage tier having a first performance level to a storage tier havinga second performance level, where the second performance level is lowerthan the first performance level. Another example of an aggregatecharacteristics is a frequency of data movements from a storage tier inresponse to determining that the storage tier having insufficientstorage capacity.

In some embodiments, the data associated with the cloud computing systemcan be one or more blocks of data embodying a virtual volume associatedwith a hosted computing environment.

In certain embodiments, a condition for initiating a data movement canbe at least one of an input/output resource utilization of a storagetier reaching a threshold utilization level, an amount of dataassociated with the cloud computing system reaching or exceeding athreshold amount, and an amount of data stored on the first tierreaching a threshold amount. Other criteria are possible.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a technique(e.g., methods, systems, and computer program products) for allocatingcloud resources in a cloud computing system based on data movement by atiered storage system. The technique can be executed by a cloudcomputing system to, for example, improve utilization of cloudingcomputing resources in response to data movements initiated by a tieredstorage system. The technique includes transmitting a request to atiered storage system to provide a notification of a data movementinitiated by a tiered storage system. The data movement can includemoving data associated with the cloud computing system from a firststorage tier to a second storage tier. The notification can include anindication of a condition for initiating the data movement. Thetechnique can further include receiving the notification from the tieredstorage system. The technique can then include identifying, using thereceived notification, a hosted computing environment having a volume(e.g., a virtual volume) associated with the data movement. Thetechnique can then include determining whether to change an allocationof resources to the identified hosted computing environment. Thetechnique can further include changing the allocation of resourcesresponse to determining to change the allocation of resources to thehosted computing environment.

In some embodiments, the request transmitted to the tiered storagesystem includes a criteria for providing the notification. The criteria,for example, can be based on whether a storage tier that is a source ofa data movement has a performance better than a performance of a storagetier that is a destination of the data movement. The criteria can alsobe based on at least one of the data movement direction and thecondition for initiating the data movement. The criteria can further bebased on aggregate characteristics of a set (e.g., one or more) of datamovements initiated by the tiered storage system. The aggregatecharacteristics can be a frequency, or count, of data movements from astorage tier having a first performance level to a storage tier having asecond performance level, where the second performance level is lowerthan the first performance level. The aggregate characteristics can alsobe a frequency, or count, of data movements from a storage tier inresponse to determining that the storage tier has insufficient storagecapacity. The aggregate characteristics can additionally be a datamovement including data associated with a set of hosted computingenvironments (e.g., virtual volumes of the set of hosted computingenvironments) from a first storage system to a second storage system.

In some embodiments, the resources allocated in the cloud computingsystem can include memory, processors, and communication bandwidthallocated to a hosted computing environment.

In some embodiments, changing the allocation of resources includesmoving the hosted computing environment from a first host computingsystem to a second host computing system. In some embodiments, changingthe allocation of resources includes suspending execution of the hostedcomputing environment. In certain embodiments, changing the allocationof resources includes notifying a user associated with the hostedcomputing environment to cause the user to change the allocation ofresources to the hosted computing environment. In other embodiments,changing the allocation of resources includes notifying a serviceassociated with the hosted computing environment to cause the server tochange the allocation of resources.

As used herein, the term cloud computing system includes computingsystems (e.g., host computing systems) and applications configured toenable access to shared pools of configurable resources (e.g., computernetworks, servers, storage, applications and services). A cloudcomputing system can support or hosted computing environments (e.g., avirtual machines) on top of a layer of software and firmware thatprovides an abstraction of the hardware associated with the cloudcomputing system. The operations of a cloud computing system can bemanaged (e.g., regulated and executed) by one or more softwareapplications (hereinafter, “cloud manager”).

As used herein, a logical volume is an abstraction of the storage spaceon one or more storage volumes (e.g., physical extends of a storagevolume) into a virtual disk or a virtual disk partition that can appearto a computing environment as a single continuous storage area. A tieredstorage system, for example, can provide one or more logical volumes toa cloud computing system. A cloud computing system can partition itslogical volumes into one or more virtual volumes which can be allocatedto hosted computing environments.

While the logical volume can appear as single volume of storage to acloud computing system, the logical volume is seen, form a perspectiveof a tiered storage system, as a set of blocks allocated to the cloudcomputing system. A tiered storage system is typically not aware thevirtual volume partitions of the logical volume. In some environments,the tiered storage system is not aware of the structure of the logicalvolume. Similarly, the cloud computing system may not be aware of themanagement operations (e.g., data movements between tiers and triggeringevents and conditions that initiate the data movements) performed onblocks of its logical volume.

It is understood in advance that although this disclosure includes adetailed description on cloud computing, implementation of the teachingsrecited herein are not limited to a cloud computing environment. Rather,embodiments of the present invention are capable of being implemented inconjunction with any other type of computing environment now known orlater developed.

Cloud computing is a model of service delivery for enabling convenient,on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computingresources (e.g. networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing,memory, storage, applications, virtual machines, and services) that canbe rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort orinteraction with a provider of the service. This cloud model may includeat least five characteristics, at least three service models, and atleast four deployment models.

Characteristics are as follows:

On-demand self-service: a cloud consumer can unilaterally provisioncomputing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, asneeded automatically without requiring human interaction with theservice's provider.

Broad network access: capabilities are available over a network andaccessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneousthin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).

Resource pooling: the provider's computing resources are pooled to servemultiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physicaland virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according todemand. There is a sense of location independence in that the consumergenerally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of theprovided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher levelof abstraction (e.g., country, state, or datacenter).

Rapid elasticity: capabilities can be rapidly and elasticallyprovisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out andrapidly released to quickly scale in. To the consumer, the capabilitiesavailable for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can bepurchased in any quantity at any time.

Measured service: cloud systems automatically control and optimizeresource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level ofabstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage,processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can bemonitored, controlled, and reported providing transparency for both theprovider and consumer of the utilized service.

Service Models are as follows:

Software as a Service (SaaS): the capability provided to the consumer isto use the provider's applications running on a cloud infrastructure.The applications are accessible from various client devices through athin client interface such as a web browser (e.g., web-based e-mail).The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloudinfrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage,or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exceptionof limited user-specific application configuration settings.

Platform as a Service (PaaS): the capability provided to the consumer isto deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquiredapplications created using programming languages and tools supported bythe provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlyingcloud infrastructure including networks, servers, operating systems, orstorage, but has control over the deployed applications and possiblyapplication hosting environment configurations.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): the capability provided to theconsumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and otherfundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy andrun arbitrary software, which can include operating systems andapplications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlyingcloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage,deployed applications, and possibly limited control of select networkingcomponents (e.g., host firewalls).

Deployment Models are as follows:

Private cloud: the cloud infrastructure is operated solely for anorganization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party andmay exist on-premises or off-premises.

Community cloud: the cloud infrastructure is shared by severalorganizations and supports a specific community that has shared concerns(e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and complianceconsiderations). It may be managed by the organizations or a third partyand may exist on-premises or off-premises.

Public cloud: the cloud infrastructure is made available to the generalpublic or a large industry group and is owned by an organization sellingcloud services.

Hybrid cloud: the cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or moreclouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities butare bound together by standardized or proprietary technology thatenables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting forload-balancing between clouds).

A cloud computing environment is service oriented with a focus onstatelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability.At the heart of cloud computing is an infrastructure comprising anetwork of interconnected nodes.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic of an example of a cloud computingnode is shown. Cloud computing node 10 is only one example of a suitablecloud computing node and is not intended to suggest any limitation as tothe scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the inventiondescribed herein. Regardless, cloud computing node 10 is capable ofbeing implemented and/or performing any of the functionality set forthhereinabove.

In cloud computing node 10 there is a computer system/server 12, whichis operational with numerous other general purpose or special purposecomputing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-knowncomputing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may besuitable for use with computer system/server 12 include, but are notlimited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thinclients, thick clients, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessorsystems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmableconsumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframecomputer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments thatinclude any of the above systems or devices, and the like.

Computer system/server 12 may be described in the general context ofcomputer system-executable instructions, such as program modules, beingexecuted by a computer system. Generally, program modules may includeroutines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and soon that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract datatypes. Computer system/server 12 may be practiced in distributed cloudcomputing environments where tasks are performed by remote processingdevices that are linked through a communications network. In adistributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be locatedin both local and remote computer system storage media including memorystorage devices.

As shown in FIG. 1, computer system/server 12 in cloud computing node 10is shown in the form of a general-purpose computing device. Thecomponents of computer system/server 12 may include, but are not limitedto, one or more processors or processing units 16, a system memory 28,and a bus 18 that couples various system components including systemmemory 28 to processor 16.

Bus 18 represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures,including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, anaccelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of avariety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation,such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus,Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, VideoElectronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and PeripheralComponent Interconnects (PCI) bus.

Computer system/server 12 typically includes a variety of computersystem readable media. Such media may be any available media that isaccessible by computer system/server 12, and it includes both volatileand non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media.

System memory 28 can include computer system readable media in the formof volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) 30 and/or cachememory 32. Computer system/server 12 may further include otherremovable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storagemedia. By way of example only, storage system 34 can be provided forreading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media(not shown and typically called a “hard drive”). Although not shown, amagnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable,non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical diskdrive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile opticaldisk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided.In such instances, each can be connected to bus 18 by one or more datamedia interfaces. As will be further depicted and described below,memory 28 may include at least one program product having a set (e.g.,at least one) of program modules that are configured to carry out thefunctions of embodiments of the invention.

Program/utility 40, having a set (at least one) of program modules 42,may be stored in memory 28 by way of example, and not limitation, aswell as an operating system, one or more application programs, otherprogram modules, and program data. Each of the operating system, one ormore application programs, other program modules, and program data orsome combination thereof, may include an implementation of a networkingenvironment. Program modules 42 generally carry out the functions and/ormethodologies of embodiments of the invention as described herein.

Computer system/server 12 may also communicate with one or more externaldevices 14 such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display 24, etc.;one or more devices that enable a user to interact with computersystem/server 12; and/or any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.)that enable computer system/server 12 to communicate with one or moreother computing devices. Such communication can occur via Input/Output(I/O) interfaces 22. Still yet, computer system/server 12 cancommunicate with one or more networks such as a local area network(LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g.,the Internet) via network adapter 20. As depicted, network adapter 20communicates with the other components of computer system/server 12 viabus 18. It should be understood that although not shown, other hardwareand/or software components could be used in conjunction with computersystem/server 12. Examples, include, but are not limited to: microcode,device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays,RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems, etc.

Referring now to FIG. 2, illustrative cloud computing environment 50 isdepicted. As shown, cloud computing environment 50 comprises one or morecloud computing nodes 10 with which local computing devices used bycloud consumers, such as, for example, personal digital assistant (PDA)or cellular telephone 54A, desktop computer 54B, laptop computer 54C,and/or automobile computer system 54N may communicate. Nodes 10 maycommunicate with one another. They may be grouped (not shown) physicallyor virtually, in one or more networks, such as Private, Community,Public, or Hybrid clouds as described hereinabove, or a combinationthereof. This allows cloud computing environment 50 to offerinfrastructure, platforms and/or software as services for which a cloudconsumer does not need to maintain resources on a local computingdevice. It is understood that the types of computing devices 54A-N shownin FIG. 2 are intended to be illustrative only and that computing nodes10 and cloud computing environment 50 can communicate with any type ofcomputerized device over any type of network and/or network addressableconnection (e.g., using a web browser).

Referring now to FIG. 3, a set of functional abstraction layers providedby cloud computing environment 50 (FIG. 2) is shown. It should beunderstood in advance that the components, layers, and functions shownin FIG. 3 are intended to be illustrative only and embodiments of theinvention are not limited thereto. As depicted, the following layers andcorresponding functions are provided:

Hardware and software layer 60 includes hardware and softwarecomponents. Examples of hardware components include: mainframes; RISC(Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture based servers; storagedevices; networks and networking components. In some embodiments,software components include network application server software.

Virtualization layer 62 provides an abstraction layer from which thefollowing examples of virtual entities may be provided: virtual servers;virtual storage; virtual networks, including virtual private networks;virtual applications and operating systems; and virtual clients.

In one example, management layer 64 may provide the functions describedbelow. Resource provisioning provides dynamic procurement of computingresources and other resources that are utilized to perform tasks withinthe cloud computing environment. Metering and Pricing provide costtracking as resources are utilized within the cloud computingenvironment, and billing or invoicing for consumption of theseresources. In one example, these resources may comprise applicationsoftware licenses. Security provides identity verification for cloudconsumers and tasks, as well as protection for data and other resources.User portal provides access to the cloud computing environment forconsumers and system administrators. Service level management providescloud computing resource allocation and management such that requiredservice levels are met. Service Level Agreement (SLA) planning andfulfillment provide pre-arrangement for, and procurement of, cloudcomputing resources for which a future requirement is anticipated inaccordance with an SLA.

Workloads layer 66 provides examples of functionality for which thecloud computing environment may be utilized. Examples of workloads andfunctions which may be provided from this layer include: mapping andnavigation; software development and lifecycle management; virtualclassroom education delivery; data analytics processing; transactionprocessing; and mobile desktop.

Referring now to the figures, FIG. 4 depicts a set of operations 400 toenable management of cloud resources based on tiered storage datamovement, according to various embodiments. The operations 400 can beexecuted by a tiered storage system, such as the tiered storage system705 (FIG. 7). In some embodiments, the operations 400 can beautomatically executed by a storage manager application of the tieredstorage system in accordance with feedback provided by hardware andother software components of the tiered storage system. The storagemanager can include computer executable code that is executable by acomputing system, such as such as computer system 12 (FIG. 1). In someembodiments the computing system may be a hardware component (e.g., atiered storage server) associated with layer 60 of the cloud computingsystem shown in FIG. 3. In certain embodiments, the computing system(e.g., the tiered storage system) is separate from the cloud computingsystem.

The tiered storage system can execute operation 405 to receive a requestfrom a cloud computing system to provide data movement notifications fordata blocks associated with the cloud computing system. The cloudcomputing system can be a tenant of the tiered storage system and can beallocated one or more data blocks of storage on the tiered storagesystem. In some embodiments, the request is received through a storagedriver. In other embodiments, the request can be received in datapackets over communication channel (e.g., a communication cable, a bus,a data communication network, etc.) coupling the tiered storage systemto the cloud computing system. The request can be embodied in a datastructure, extractable from the data packets by a storage managerassociated with the tiered computing system.

In some embodiments, a tiered storage system has two or more storagetiers. A storage tier is a storage resource (e.g., storage volumes andcommunication hardware and software) having particular performancecharacteristics that differentiates it from another storage resource orstorage tier. A first storage tier, for example, can have greaterinput/output (I/O) throughput, more storage capacity, or greatercommunication bandwidth than a second storage tier. A storage system canmove data from one storage tier to another storage tier to, for example,optimize for costs, performance, and storage space. A data movement caninclude moving data associated with the cloud computing system (e.g.,data blocks allocated to the cloud computing system) from, for example,a first storage tier to a second storage tier.

In some embodiments, a tiered storage system can be automaticallytriggered to initiate a data movement in response to a set of triggeringconditions (hereinafter, conditions). A triggering condition can anyevent or condition associated with a storage tier or a tenant of thetiered storage system. A triggering condition, for example, can be anindication that I/O resource (e.g., read/write operations, data busbandwidth, and stored data) utilization of a storage tier reached orexceeded a threshold utilization level. As another example, a triggeringcondition can be an indication that the amount of data stored on astorage tier by a tenant (e.g., a cloud computing system) reached orexecuted a threshold amount. As a third example, a triggering conditioncan be an indication that a cloud computing system's utilization of thetiered storage system exceeds a subscribed to, or paid for, utilizationlevel.

In certain embodiments, the notification is a data structure generatedby the tiered storage system and transmitted to the cloud computingsystem. The notification can include an indication of the condition(e.g., the triggering condition) that caused the storage system toinitiate the data movement. The notification can further indicate theblocks, storage tiers, and the changes in storage performance level,associated with the data movement.

In some embodiments, the request received in operation 405 can include acriteria (e.g., a policy) for causing the tiered storage system toprovide a data movement notification. The criteria can be based on thedata movement and the condition triggering the data movement. Thecriteria, for example, can cause the tiered storage system to provide adata movement notification when the tiered storage system initiates adata movement from a first storage tier having a first performance levelto a second storage tier having a second performance level, when thesecond performance level is lower than the first performance level(e.g., a data movement that moves data from a fast storage tier to aslower storage tier). As another example, the criteria can cause thetiered storage system to provide a data movement notification when thetiered storage system initiates a data movement in response to thenumber of I/O operations processed by the storage tier (e.g., on thebehalf of the cloud computing system) exceeding a threshold number ofI/O operations (this information could be used by the cloud computingsystem for billing purposes).

The criteria can also be based on aggregate characteristics of datamovements initiated by the tiered storage system. An example of anaggregate characteristic include the frequency of data movements from astorage tier having a first performance level to a storage tier having asecond performance level, where the second performance level is lowerthan the first performance level. Another example of aggregateperformance characteristics is a frequency, or count, of data movementsfrom a storage tier in response to determining that the storage tier hasinsufficient storage capacity or I/O bandwidth. Other individual oraggregate criteria for causing the tiered storage system to provide datamovement notifications can be used with the techniques described herein.

The tiered storage system can execute operation 410 to determine whethera condition for initiating a data movement from a first storage tier toa second storage tier is satisfied. Executing operation 410 can includequerying a storage controller associated with a storage tier todetermine, for example, the amount of storage space available on thestorage tier and the I/O utilization rate of the storage tier. Executingoperations 410 can also include monitoring and logging I/O operations ortransactions executed by a storage tier to evaluate, for example,aggregate triggering conditions or to evaluate tenant based conditions(e.g., conditions that are triggered in response to tenant actions, suchas I/O requests from a tenant exceeding a threshold number of requests).

In some embodiments, information queried or monitored in while executingof operation 110 can be logged in a data structure for use in evaluatingconditions for providing data movement notifications, as describedherein.

The tiered storage system can execute operation 415 to initiate a datamovement event in response to determining that a condition forinitiating a data movement from a first storage tier to a second storagetier was satisfied. Initiating a data movement can include selecting andtransferring one or more blocks of data from a first storage tier to asecond storage tier. Initiating a data movement can further includestoring in a data structure information associated with the datamovement, including, for example, the source tier, the destination tier,the triggering condition, the data blocks moved, and tenants affected bythe data movement.

In some embodiments, the tiered storage system can execute operation 420to determine whether a criteria (e.g., a data movement notificationcriteria) for providing a notification to a cloud computing system issatisfied. Executing operation 420 can include identifying a cloudcomputing system affected by the data movement initiated in operation415. Executing operation 420 can further include evaluating a datamovement notification criteria received from the identified cloudcomputing system in operations 405 using logged data movementinformation, as described herein. Evaluating the data movementnotification criteria can include calculating one or more statisticsconcerning the data movement information and executing one or morelogical operations using the statistics and, for example, thresholdvalues associated with the movement notification criteria. The tieredstorage system can return to operation 410 in response determining thatthe criteria was not satisfied, while the tiered storage system cancontinue to operation 425 in response to determining that the criteriais satisfied.

The storage system can execute operation 425 to transmit a notificationto the cloud computing system. Executing operation 425 can includegenerating a data structure having, for example, an indication of datablocks moved, a condition or reason for initiating the data movement,and information associated with performance of the storage tiersinvolved in the data movement. Executing operation 425 can furtherinclude executing one or more operations to transmit the notificationover a communication channel to the cloud computing system.

FIG. 5 depicts a set of operations 500 for allocating cloud resources ina cloud computing system based on tiered storage data movement,according to various embodiments. The operations 500 can be executed bya cloud computing system, such as the cloud computing system 805 (FIG.8). In some embodiments, the operations 500 can be automaticallyexecuted by a cloud manager application of the cloud computing system.The cloud manager can include code that is executable by a computingsystem, such as such as computer system 12 (FIG. 1). In some embodimentsthe cloud manager is a software component associated with layer 64 ofthe cloud computing system shown in FIG. 3.

The cloud computing system can execute operation 505 to transmit arequest to a tiered storage system to provide a notification of a datamovement initiated by a tiered storage system. A data movement caninclude moving data associated with the cloud computing system (e.g.,data blocks allocated to the cloud computing system) from, for example,a first storage tier to a second storage tier, as described herein. Thenotification can be a data structure generated by the tiered storagesystem and transmitted to the cloud computing system, as describedherein. In some embodiments, the request includes a criteria for causingthe tiered storage system to provide a data movement notification. Thecharacteristics of the criteria are consistent with the criteriadescribed in the discussion of the operations 400 (FIG. 4). Executingoperation 505 can include generating a data structure having the requestand transmitting the data structure to the tiered storage system over acommunication channel.

The cloud computing system can execute operations 510 to receive anotification (e.g., a data movement notification) from the tieredstorage system. The notification can be received in data packets from acommunication channel coupling the tiered storage system to the cloudcomputing system. The notification can be embodied in a data structure,extractable from the data packets by, for example, the cloud manager.The notification can include an indication of blocks moved, a conditionor reason for initiating the data movement, and information associatedwith performance of the storage tiers involved in the data movement, asdescribed herein.

The cloud computing system can execute operation 515 to identify, usingthe received notification, a hosted computing environment having avirtual volume associated with the data movement. Executing operation515 includes determining, from the notification, one or more blocks ofdata associated with the data movement operation. Executing operation515 can then include determining from, for example, a data structuremapping blocks of the cloud computing system's logical volume to one ormore virtual volumes allocated to hosted computing environment, a hostedcomputing environment having a virtual volume associated with the one ormore blocks indicated in received notification.

The cloud computing system can execute operation 520 to determinewhether to change an allocation of resources to the identified hostedcomputing environment. Executing operation 520 can include determiningfrom a data structure storing storage-tier movement policies whether tochange the allocation of resources to the hosted computing environment.In some embodiments, the storage-tier movement policies can indicateconditions or criteria for changing allocation of resources to one ormore hosted computing environments in response to a tiered storage datamovements. In some embodiments the conditions or criteria can besubstantially the same as the criteria for causing the tiered storagesystem to transmit a data movement notification. The cloud computingsystem can return to operation 510 in response to determining not tochange an allocation of resources to the identified hosted computingenvironment, while the cloud computing system can continue to operation525 in response to determining to change an allocation of resources tothe identified hosted computing environment.

The cloud manager can execute operation 525 to change the allocation ofresources to the hosted computing environment in response to determiningto change the allocation of resources to the hosted computingenvironment. In some embodiments, the resources allocated to the hostcomputing environment can include at least one of allocated memory, aprocessing resource, and communication resource (e.g., communicationbandwidth). Changing the allocation of resources can include moving theidentified hosted computing environment from a first host computingsystem to a second host computing system in a cloud computing system.Changing the allocation of resources also include suspending executionof the identified hosted computing environment. In some embodiments,changing the allocation of resources includes notifying a userassociated with the hosted computing environment to cause the user tochange the allocation of resources. In some embodiments, changing theallocation of resources includes notifying a service associated with theidentified hosted computing environment to cause the service to changethe allocation of resources. In other embodiments, the allocation of oneor more other resources can be changed according to other storedstorage-tier movement policies.

FIG. 6 depicts a block diagram of an example cloud computing environment600 using tiered storage, according to various embodiments. The cloudcomputing environment 600 includes cloud computing system 605 coupled totiered storage system 635 using communication channel 650.

In some embodiments, the cloud computing system 605 includes one or morecomputing systems executing software and firmware applications toenable, or host, hosted computing environment 610 and hosted computingenvironment 620, as described herein. The cloud computing system 605 canalso include volume 630 (e.g., a logical volume), having one or moreblocks allocated to virtual volume 615 of hosted computing environment610 and virtual volume 625 of hosted computing environment 620. All or aportion of volume 630 can be stored on tiered storage system 635 onstorage tier-1 640 or storage tier-2 645, as described herein.

In some embodiments, the communication channel 650 can be data bus, acommunication cable, or a data communication network, configured totransfer data in one or more data structures or packets between cloudcomputing system 605 and tiered storage system 635.

FIG. 7 depicts a block diagram of an example tiered storage system 705,according to various embodiments. The tiered storage system 705 caninclude processor 710, memory 715, and tiered storage 730. The memory715 can include storage manger 720 and notification policy 725. Thestorage manager 720 can execute on the processor 710 to implement theoperations and techniques described herein. Notification policy 725 caninclude data movement notification requests from registered tenants(e.g., cloud computing systems that submit data movement notificationrequests). The requests can include criteria for causing the tieredstorage system 705 provide data movement notifications, as describedherein. Tiered storage 730 can include storage tier-1 735 and storagetier-2 750. Storage tier-1 735 can have a performance level or rating,and can include one or more storage drives (e.g., disk drives, solidstate drives, etc.) storing data block 745A and 745B. Storage tier-2 750can have another performance level or rating, and can include one ormore storage drives storing data block 760A and 760B.

FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram of an example cloud computing system 800,according to various embodiments. The tiered cloud computing system 805can include processor 810, memory 815, and tiered storage 855 (e.g., alogical volume). The memory 815 can include cloud manger 820,storage-tier movement policies 825, and hosted computing environments830. The storage manager 820 can execute on the processor 810 toimplement the operations and techniques described herein. The hostedcomputing environments 830 can include operating system 835 andallocated resources such as memory 840, communication resources 845, andvirtual volume 850.

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product. The computer program product may include a computerreadable storage medium (or media) having computer readable programinstructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of thepresent invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present invention may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in anycombination of one or more programming languages, including an objectoriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++or the like, andconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language or similar programming languages. The computerreadable program instructions may execute entirely on the user'scomputer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone softwarepackage, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computeror entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through anytype of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example,programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), orprogrammable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readableprogram instructions by utilizing state information of the computerreadable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry,in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present disclosurehave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

-   -   This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and        listings, of claims in the application:

1. A method for enabling management of cloud resources based on tieredstorage data movement, the method comprising: receiving a request from acloud computing system to provide the cloud computing system anotification of a data movement initiated by a tiered storage system,wherein: the data movement comprises moving data associated with thecloud computing system from a first storage tier to a second storagetier, the notification comprises an indication of a condition forinitiating the data movement, and the condition comprises an indicationthat a utilization of the tiered storage system exceeds a subscribedutilization level; determining that a condition for initiating the datamovement was satisfied; initiating the data movement in response todetermining that the condition was satisfied; transmitting thenotification in response to initiating the data movement; identifying,based on the initiating, a hosted computing environment having a volumeassociated with the data movement; and changing an allocation ofresources to the hosted computing environment such that the utilizationdoes not exceed the subscribed utilization level.
 2. The method of claim1 further comprising: providing the amount of storage space available onthe first storage tier and the I/O utilization rate of the first storagetier; and providing the amount of storage space available on the secondstorage tier and the I/O utilization rate of the second storage tier,wherein the first storage tier has a performance level different from aperformance level of the second storage tier wherein the first storagetier has a I/O utilization rate different from a I/O utilization rate ofthe second storage tier, and wherein the first storage tier has lessstorage space available than the second storage tier.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the request includes a criteria for providing thenotification, and wherein the notification is further transmitted inresponse to determining that the criteria is satisfied.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the criteria is based on at least one of the datamovement direction and the condition.
 5. The method of claim 3, whereinthe criteria is based on aggregate characteristics of data movementsinitiated by the tiered storage system.
 6. The method of claim 5,wherein the aggregate characteristics is a frequency of data movementsfrom a storage tier having a first performance level to a storage tierhaving a second performance level, wherein the second performance levelis lower than the first performance level.
 7. The method of claim 5,wherein the aggregate characteristics is a frequency of data movementsfrom a storage tier in response to determining that the storage tier hasinsufficient storage capacity.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein thedata associated with the cloud computing system is a virtual volumeallocated to a hosted computing environment.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein the condition is at least one of: an input/output resourceutilization of a storage tier reaching a threshold level, an amount ofdata associated with the cloud computing system reaching a thresholdamount, and an amount of data stored on the first tier reaching athreshold level.
 10. A system for enabling management of cloud resourcesbased on tiered storage data movement, the system comprising: one ormore computing nodes having a memory and a processor; and anon-transitory computer readable storage medium of the one or morecomputing nodes having program instructions embodied therewith, theprogram instructions executable by the processor to cause the system to:receive a request from a cloud computing system to provide the cloudcomputing system a notification of a data movement initiated by a tieredstorage system, wherein: the data movement comprises moving dataassociated with the cloud computing system from a first storage tier toa second storage tier, the notification comprises an indication of acondition for initiating the data movement, and the condition comprisesan indication that a utilization of the tiered storage system exceeds asubscribed utilization level; determine that a condition for initiatingthe data movement was satisfied; initiate the data movement in responseto determining that the condition was satisfied; transmit thenotification in response to initiating the data movement; identify,based on the initiating, a hosted computing environment having a volumeassociated with the data movement; and change an allocation of resourcesto the hosted computing environment such that the utilization does notexceed the subscribed utilization level.
 11. The system of claim 10,wherein the first storage tier has a performance level different from aperformance level of the second storage tier.
 12. The system of claim10, wherein the request includes a criteria for providing thenotification, and wherein program instructions are further executable bythe processor to cause the system to the transmit the notification inresponse to determining that the criteria is satisfied.
 13. The systemof claim 12, wherein the criteria is based on at least one of the datamovement direction and the condition.
 14. The system of claim 12,wherein the criteria is based on aggregate characteristics of datamovements initiated by the tiered storage system.
 15. The system ofclaim 14, wherein the aggregate characteristics is a frequency of datamovements from a storage tier having a first performance level to astorage tier having a second performance level, wherein the secondperformance level is lower than the first performance level.
 16. Thesystem of claim 14, wherein the aggregate characteristics is a frequencyof data movements from a storage tier in response to determining thatthe storage tier has insufficient storage capacity.
 17. The system ofclaim 10, wherein the data associated with the cloud computing system isa virtual volume allocated to a hosted computing environment.
 18. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the condition is at least one of: aninput/output resource utilization of a storage tier reaching a thresholdlevel, an amount of data associated with the cloud computing systemreaching a threshold amount, and an amount of data stored on the firsttier reaching a threshold level.
 19. A computer program product forenabling management of cloud resources based on tiered storage datamovement, the computer program product including a computer readablestorage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, whereinthe computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se,the program instructions executable by a processing circuit to cause theprocessing circuit to perform a method comprising: receiving a requestfrom a cloud computing system to provide the cloud computing system anotification of a data movement initiated by a tiered storage system,wherein: the data movement comprises moving data associated with thecloud computing system from a first storage tier to a second storagetier, the notification comprises an indication of a condition forinitiating the data movement, and the condition comprises an indicationthat a utilization of the tiered storage system exceeds a subscribedutilization level; determining that a condition for initiating the datamovement was satisfied; initiating the data movement in response todetermining that the condition was satisfied; transmitting thenotification in response to initiating the data movement; identifying,based on the initiating, a hosted computing environment having a volumeassociated with the data movement; and changing an allocation ofresources to the hosted computing environment such that the utilizationdoes not exceed the subscribed utilization level.
 20. The computerprogram product of claim 19, wherein the request includes a criteria forproviding the notification, and wherein the notification is furthertransmitted in response to determining that the criteria is satisfied.